Modular display assembly

ABSTRACT

Described are display assemblies having a display coupled to a passenger seat back, a video shroud coupled to the passenger seat back and with an inner opening positioned adjacent the display, wherein a gap is positioned between an outer edge of the display and an edge of the inner opening, and an adaptor having a lip and coupled to the video shroud, wherein the lip is positioned adjacent the gap. A portion of the lip may surround at least the outer edge of the display and/or may overlap a portion of the video shroud.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to and claims priority benefits from U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/459,174, filed on Dec. 7, 2010,entitled BACK MOUNTED MONITOR INSTALLATION. The '174 application ishereby incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to passenger seats or the like.

BACKGROUND

Many passenger seats such as those on passenger aircraft, buses, trains,and the like are arranged so that each passenger seat, other than theforward-most located passenger seats, faces the back of the next forwardpassenger seat. To increase a passenger's comfort and enjoyment, manypassenger seat backs are utilized to install amenities for thepassenger's use during the trip. For example, an upper surface of theseat back may be used to install In-Flight Entertainment (“IFE”)equipment or other entertainment devices and/or as an area foradditional storage of amenities, such as reading materials or otherdevices.

Typically, the upper seat back is completely covered by a one-pieceprotective covering or shroud that surrounds the device attached to theseat back so as to provide a durable surface that protects the devicefrom damage or tampering. Because the shroud is configured to snuglyconform to the seat back and the outer perimeter of the device, theshroud must be redesigned or replaced if device shape or size ischanged, such as during an upgrade or replacement of the device. Due tothe size of the shroud, there is considerable cost involved in replacingor redesigning the shroud for each change to the device.

Thus, it may be desirable to provide a modular shroud that includes asmaller component that may be replaced or redesigned to accommodatechanges in sizes and shapes of the device, while allowing a largerportion of the shroud to be standardized for a variety of devices.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention include a display assemblycomprising a display coupled to a passenger seat back, a video shroudcoupled to the passenger seat back and comprising an inner openingpositioned adjacent the display, wherein a gap is positioned between anouter edge of the display and an edge of the inner opening, and anadaptor comprising a lip and coupled to the video shroud, wherein thelip is positioned adjacent the gap. Other embodiments may furtherinclude a passenger seat comprising the passenger seat back.

In some embodiments, a portion of the lip may substantially surround atleast the outer edge of the display and/or may overlap a portion of thevideo shroud. The adaptor and the video shroud may be different colorsand/or may be formed of the same materials or different materials. Inother embodiments, the display may be an in-flight entertainmentdisplay.

According to certain embodiments, a method of configuring the displayassembly may comprise uncoupling the video shroud from a passenger seatback, uncoupling the adaptor from the video shroud, coupling areplacement adaptor to the video shroud, and recoupling the video shroudto the passenger seat back. In other embodiments, the method may furthercomprise uncoupling the display from the passenger seat back beforeuncoupling the video shroud from the passenger seat back and coupling areplacement display to the passenger seat back after recoupling thevideo shroud to the passenger seat back.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display assembly according to certainembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the display assembly of FIG. 1configured for smaller display embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the display assembly of FIG. 1 withother display embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the display assembly of FIG. 3configured for smaller display embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The described embodiments of the invention provide display assembliesfor use with passenger seats. While the display assemblies are discussedfor use with aircraft seats, they are by no means so limited. Rather,embodiments of the display assemblies may be used in passenger seats orother seats of any type or otherwise as desired.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate embodiments of a display assembly 10. In theseembodiments, the display assembly 10 comprises a display 12, a videoshroud 14, and an adaptor 16.

The display 12 may be a display for an IFE or other entertainmentdevices. In some embodiments, the display 12 is coupled to a back 18 ofa passenger seat 20. One of ordinary skill in the relevant art willunderstand that any suitable coupling technique may be used to attachthe display 12 to the back 18 including but not limited to mechanicalfasteners such as screws, bolts, rivets, compression fit, or othersuitable fasteners.

The display 12 may comprise any suitable outer perimeter shape 22including but not limited to square, rectilinear, trapezoidal,parabolic, or other suitable shape that does not exceed an outerperimeter 28 of the back 18. In certain embodiments, the back 18 mayinclude a recess that is shaped to accommodate the outer perimeter shape22 of the display 12 and at least a portion of a depth of the display12.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, embodiments of the video shroud 14 may be coupledto the back 18. One of ordinary skill in the relevant art willunderstand that any suitable coupling technique may be used to attachthe video shroud 14 to the back 18 including but not limited tomechanical fasteners such as screws, bolts, rivets, compression fit, orother suitable fasteners. The video shroud 14 may include a surface 24having a outer shape 26 that corresponds to at least a portion of theouter perimeter 28 of the back 18. The video shroud 14 includes sides 30that are shaped so that the surface 24 of the video shroud 14 ispositioned adjacent and/or aft of the display 12.

The video shroud 14 may be formed of a material that resists stains andis easily and quickly sanitized between passenger uses including but notlimited to plastics, such as polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene,polyvinyl chloride, or other similar plastics, metallic materials,composite materials, or other similar materials.

The video shroud 14 may also comprise an inner opening 32. The inneropening 32 may be shaped so that the display 12 is visible through thevideo shroud 14. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the inner opening 32 mayhave any suitable shape that substantially surrounds or is larger thanthe outer perimeter shape 22 of the display 12 so that a gap 36 ispositioned between an outer edge 38 of the display 12 and an edge 40 ofthe inner opening 32.

Embodiments of the adaptor 16 may be coupled to the video shroud 14. Oneof ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that any suitablecoupling technique may be used to releasably couple the adaptor 16 tothe video shroud 14 including but not limited to mechanical fastenerssuch as screws, bolts, rivets, compression fit, or other suitablefasteners. The adaptor 16 includes a lip 42 that surrounds an inneraperture 34.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, a portion of the lip 42 maybe shaped to substantially surround at least the outer edge 38 of thedisplay 12. The lip 42 may also have a width that spans the gap 36between the display 12 and the edge 40 of the inner opening 32 of thevideo shroud 14. In other embodiments, another portion of the lip 42 maybe shaped to overlap a portion of an interior side of the surface 24 ofthe video shroud 14 so that the adaptor 16 is held in place by the videoshroud 14.

By incorporating the use of the adaptor 16, the inner opening 32 of thevideo shroud 14 may be enlarged to accommodate the largest display 12that may be coupled to the back 18, and the adaptor 16 may be used toenclose the gap 36 between smaller or differently shaped displays 12 andthe video shroud 14 without the need to modify or replace the videoshroud 14. As a result, when the size or shape of the display 12 changes(as shown in FIGS. 1-4), the display assembly 10 may be disassembled byuncoupling the display 12 and the video shroud 14 from the back 18. Oncethe video shroud 14 has been removed from the back 18, the adaptor 16may be uncoupled from the video shroud 14, and a replacement adaptor 16may be coupled to the existing video shroud 14. The video shroud 14 andthe replacement display 12 may then be recoupled to the back 18.

In embodiments where the display 12 has a new size and/or shape(smaller, larger, elongated, narrower, rounder, angled, straight, etc.),the shape of the inner aperture 34 of the replacement adaptor 16 issimilarly configured to the new size and/or shape of the replacementdisplay 12, which allows the lip 42 to couple to the standardized shapeof the inner opening 32 of the video shroud 14. In other embodimentswhere the adaptor is a wear part or where a different look for the videoshroud 14 is desired, the adaptor 16 may be removed as described aboveand replaced with a new version of the same adaptor 16 or an adaptor 16formed of different materials, having a different color, or otherwisehaving a different look, but with substantially the same dimensions asthe current adaptor 16 so that the display 12 may be recoupled to thevideo shroud 14. Because the adaptor 16 is considerably smaller than thevideo shroud 14, the adaptor 16 is less expensive to replace. Likewise,retrofitting a new display 12 into an existing video shroud 14 is easierand less expensive because only the adaptor 16 requires replacement.

In other embodiments, the adaptor 16 may be attached to the video shroud14 through other types of coupling techniques, such as chemicalfasteners, adhesion, bonding, fusion welding, co-molding, integralformation, or any other suitable coupling technique that attaches theadaptor 16 to the video shroud 14. In these embodiments, the adaptor 16and the video shroud 14 may be formed through processes that allow thetooling for the video shroud 14 to be standardized, while usingadjustable tooling to form the adaptor 16. As discussed above, becausethe adaptor 16 is considerably smaller than the video shroud 14, thetooling used to form the adaptor 16 is less expensive to replace.

In certain embodiments, the combination of standardized tooling for thevideo shroud 14 and adjustable/replacement tooling for the adaptor 16may be used in a variety of processes. In these embodiments, the adaptor16 may be formed with a set of tooling that is adjustable or replaceabledepending on the size of the adaptor 16 required. The adaptor 16 maythen pass through the same manufacturing equipment with standardizedvideo shroud 14 tooling, which molds or otherwise bonds the standardizedvideo shroud 14 to the adaptor 16. The adaptor 16 and the video shroud14 may also be formed through a two-shot molding process or overmoldingprocess, which also utilize standardized tooling to form the videoshroud 14 and adjustable/replacement tooling to form the adaptor 16. Inyet other embodiments, the adaptor 16 and the video shroud 14 may beseparately formed, and the adaptor 16 and the standardized video shroud14 may be glued or otherwise chemically bonded. One of ordinary skill inthe relevant art will understand that any suitable process may be usedto form the video shroud 14 with standardized tooling and the adaptor 16with adjustable/replacement tooling.

The shape and style of the adaptor 16 may vary depending on the size andshape of the display 12. The lip 42 may have any suitable shape thatcreates a secure and aesthetically pleasing transition between thedisplay 12 and the video shroud 14. Likewise, the color of the adaptor16 may differ from either and/or both the display 12 and the videoshroud 14 to create a color break without the need for secondarycoatings on either the display 12 or the video shroud 14. Moreover, theadaptor 16 may be customized to particular customer preferences withoutthe need to reconfigure the video shroud 14.

The adaptor 16 may also be formed of a material that resists stains andis easily and quickly sanitized between passenger uses including but notlimited to plastics, such as polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene,polyvinyl chloride, or other similar plastics, metallic materials,composite materials, or other similar materials. In some embodiments,the adaptor 16 and the video shroud 14 may be formed of substantiallythe same or similar materials. In other embodiments, the adaptor 16 andthe video shroud 14 may be formed of different materials. For example,in some embodiments, the video shroud 14 may be formed of a more durablematerial, while the adaptor 16 may be formed of a less expensivematerial or a thinner version of the video shroud 14 material in caseswhere the adaptor 16 is configured as a disposable or wear part. One ofordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that suitablecombination of materials may be used to form the video shroud 14 and theadaptor 16.

The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, anddescribing embodiments of the present invention. Further modificationsand adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilledin the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention.

1. A display assembly comprising: (a) a display coupled to a passengerseat back; (b) a video shroud coupled to the passenger seat back andcomprising an inner opening positioned adjacent the display, wherein agap is positioned between an outer edge of the display and an edge ofthe inner opening; and (c) an adaptor comprising a lip and coupled tothe video shroud, wherein the lip is positioned adjacent the gap.
 2. Thedisplay assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the lip substantiallysurrounds at least the outer edge of the display.
 3. The displayassembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the lip overlaps a portion ofthe video shroud.
 4. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein theadaptor and the video shroud are different colors.
 5. The displayassembly of claim 1, wherein the adaptor and the video shroud are formedof the same materials.
 6. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein theadaptor and the video shroud are formed of different materials.
 7. Thedisplay assembly of claim 1, wherein the display is an in-flightentertainment display.
 8. A passenger seat comprising: (a) a passengerseat back; and (b) a display assembly comprising: (i) a display coupledto the passenger seat back; (ii) a video shroud coupled to the passengerseat back and comprising an inner opening positioned adjacent thedisplay, wherein a gap is positioned between an outer edge of thedisplay and an edge of the inner opening; and (iii) an adaptorcomprising a lip and coupled to the video shroud, wherein the lip ispositioned adjacent the gap.
 9. The passenger seat of claim 8, wherein aportion of the lip substantially surrounds at least the outer edge ofthe display.
 10. The passenger seat of claim 8, wherein a portion of thelip overlaps a portion of the video shroud.
 11. The passenger seat ofclaim 8, wherein the adaptor and the video shroud are different colors.12. The passenger seat of claim 8, wherein the adaptor and the videoshroud are formed of the same materials.
 13. The passenger seat of claim8, wherein the adaptor and the video shroud are formed of differentmaterials.
 14. The passenger seat of claim 8, wherein the display is anin-flight entertainment display.
 15. A method of configuring a displayassembly, the display assembly comprising a display, a video shroud, andan adaptor coupled to the video shroud, the method comprising: (a)uncoupling the video shroud from a passenger seat back; (b) uncouplingthe adaptor from the video shroud; (c) coupling a replacement adaptor tothe video shroud; and (d) recoupling the video shroud to the passengerseat back.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: (e)uncoupling the display from the passenger seat back before uncouplingthe video shroud from the passenger seat back; and coupling areplacement display to the passenger seat back after recoupling thevideo shroud to the passenger seat back.
 17. The method of claim 15,wherein the adaptor and the video shroud are different colors.
 18. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the adaptor and the video shroud are formedof the same materials.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the adaptorand the video shroud are formed of different materials.
 20. The methodof claim 15, wherein the display is an in-flight entertainment display.